The Writing Tools - by Roy Peter Clark

Writing Tool #1: Branch to the Right
Begin sentences with subjects and verbs, letting subordinate elements branch to the right. Even a long, long sentence can be clear and powerful when the subject and verb make meaning early.

Writing Tool #9: Prefer Simple to Technical
Prefer the simple to the technical: shorter words and paragraphs at the points of greatest complexity.

Writing Tool #10: Recognize the Roots of Stories
Recognize the mythic, symbolic, and poetic. Be aware (and beware) that common themes of news writing have deep roots in the culture of storytelling.

Writing Tool #11: Back Off or Show Off
When the news or topic is most serious, understate. When the topic is least serious, exaggerate.

Writing Tool #12: Control the Pace
Control the pace of the story by varying sentence length.

Writing Tool #13: Show and Tell
Good writers move up and down the ladder of abstraction. At the bottom are bloody knives and rosary beads, wedding rings and baseball cards. At the top are words that reach for a higher meaning, words like "freedom" and "literacy."

Writing Tool #14: Interesting Names
Remember that writers are, by training and disposition, attracted to people and places with interesting names.

Writing Tool #15: Reveal Character Traits
Reveal character traits to the reader through scenes, details, and dialogue.

Writing Tool #16: Odd and Interesting Things
Put odd and interesting things next to each other.

Writing Tool #17: The Number of Elements
The number of examples you use in a sentence or a story has meaning.

Writing Tool #18: Internal Cliffhangers
Use them to move readers to turn the page.

Writing Tool #19: Tune Your Voice
Of all the effects created by writers, none is more important or elusive than that quality called "voice."

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